What’s in this guide
1. The Basics of Store Fixtures 2. The Principles of Retail Store Design 3. Examples of Retail Store Fixtures- Gondola Shelving
- Display Stands
- Display Racks
- Retail Counters
- Retail Shelving
- Display Cases
- Gridwalls
- Retail Clothing Racks
- Display Units
- Slatwalls
- Merchandise Displays
The Basics of Store Fixtures
Compelling product displays drive traffic inside and convert browsers into buyers. Retail store fixtures play a crucial role in this, allowing you to present your merchandise in the most attractive way possible.
What are retail store fixtures?
Retail store fixtures are used to display products. They come in many shapes and sizes, so no matter what you’re selling, there’s bound to be a perfect fit. Popular examples of retail store fixtures include:- Retail shelves for showcasing a range of products in a neat and organized way
- Gondola displays for multiple-sized SKUs you want to cross-sell
- Display cases for protecting valuable items while driving exclusivity and curiosity
- Display stands for special promotions, seasonal campaigns or mid-floor POP stands
- Retail counters for upselling last-minute items at checkout
- Mannequins for showing customers how your merchandise is meant to look
- Product towers for guiding customers through a personalized store journey
What is the purpose of store fixtures in retail?
Effective retail display fixtures make your products irresistible to customers. They should highlight your merchandise’s best features, optimize your store layout and drive conversions. There is a science to visual merchandising - and store fittings are the backbone. They create a visually appealing and well-designed store layout that not only attracts customers inside but also invites them to move through the store and engage with displays. Shopping behavior dictates retailers that have between three and six seconds to grab a consumer’s attention. With a few simple tricks, retail display fixtures help you master this attention economy.The essential elements of retail display fixtures
There are four essential elements to retail display fixtures. They must be visually appealing, versatile, durable and strategically placed. This combination as good as guarantees success.- Visuals: When store fixtures look good, they enhance the customer’s perception of the product’s quality. Consider the color, shape and even the feel of your displays.
- Versatility: Versatile retail display fixtures boost cross-selling and keep your store looking fresh. Consider modular wall systems or display towers with lockable wheels.
- Durability: If you want your fixtures to last longer than a few seasons, opt for ones that have been built with a sturdy substrate, like steel or heavy wood.
- Placement: Even beautiful displays won’t convert if they’re placed badly. Use your shop’s traffic pattern to inform where your displays will be most effective.
The Principles of Retail Store Design
Retail store design is more than just making a space look good - it’s a selling tactic. In fact, visual merchandising strategies can increase sales from 80% to 478%.
There are three key things you can do to optimize your store design and increase sales:
- Make the right first impression by creating visually stunning window displays and a decompression zone at the entrance so that customers can acclimatize to your store.
- Know your customers’ flow so that you can place products strategically and drive conversions. This will also make your store feel more pleasant to walk through.
- Use store display fixtures that show off your merchandise, encourage interaction and keep your store feeling airy, modern and on-brand.
Store Layouts
For a quick overview, there are three basic types of store layouts:- The grid, commonly used in supermarkets because of its intuitive layout
- The loop, which creates a singular, predictable path optimized for browsing
- The free flow, where the shopping experience is more relaxed and casual
Interior Design Strategy
You should also have a clear interior design strategy:- Color theory: Use color effectively to enhance the shopping experience. For example, yellow is energetic, while blue makes customers feel calmer.
- POS displays: POS displays can increase sales by 445%, so use them wisely. Identify high-traffic areas that drive sales, next to a checkout counter.
- Compelling store display fixtures: Product displays are your chance to tell a story and communicate value, so get creative and choose fixtures that reinforce your brand.
Examples of Retail Store Fixtures
Gondola Shelving
Gondola shelving displays are freestanding retail fixtures that are highly customizable and support a range of merchandising options. Their benefits include:- Affordability
- Maximized floor space
- Adaptability for different products
Gondola Tool Display
In this tool display stand, you can see how the versatility of gondola shelving units accommodates a range of products. Benefits include:
- Multifunctional shelves
- Gridwall backing, which serves two purposes:
- The unit can be customized with a range of display fixtures
- The shelves can be easily adjusted to suit different-sized SKUs
- Mild steel material for maximum durability
- Replaceable graphics panels to strengthen branding
Island gondolas with lockable wheels
Gondolas can be designed as island units with lockable wheels so that they can be moved around easily. This is ideal for upselling a range of complementary merchandise.
For example, KSF Global created this gondola island for Xpert’s workwear line. Its varied display fixtures include shelves, rails and hooks, which allow Xpert to cross-sell garments and accessories.
End cap gondolas for promotions
Gondola end displays are also the perfect place for promotions. To draw customers’ attention to the unit, use eye-catching signage and keep your stock well organized.
End cap gondolas:
- Afford you more merchandising opportunities
- Maximize floor space and optimize your store layout
- Make your store look attractive from angle
Display Stands
Retail display stands are usually freestanding points of sale that:- Highlight a particular product
- Communicate your brand message
- Act as a physical point of contact
- Floating shelf display stands
- Metal rack display stands
- Countertop displays for upselling
- Clothing retail displays
FSDUs
Freestanding display units (FSDUs) are the perfect POP displays for:
- Highlighting hero products
- Promoting new campaigns
- Encouraging upsells
- Drawing attention to special deals
Digital display stands
Interactive retail display stands invite customers to interact with your brand and products. They can be used in a number of ways, including:
- Product demos that customers can participate in
- Ways for customers to find more information about a product
- Digital signage to attract attention and enable adaptable promotions
Rack display stands
Freestanding display stands offer a range of customisation options, they can be reused in multiple ways:- Metal racks support large quantities of merchandise
- Racks can be easily substituted for other display fixtures
- Slim design won’t interfere with customer flow
- Graphics panels can be switched out to suit new campaigns
Display racks
When choosing display racks, consider your space and merchandising needs. For example, if you have limited floor space, wall display racks allow you to showcase a lot of merchandise without making your store feel cluttered. Meanwhile, freestanding display racks are ideal for cross-selling varied products. These retail fixtures can feature metal racks, hooks and even literature holders to accommodate a range of merchandise.Shoe display racks
Shoe display racks allow you to present a range of shoes in a clear, organized and attractive way. In this example by KSF for Regatta:
- Wire shelves can be adjusted to different heights
- Lockable wheels make the rack easy to reposition
- Switchable graphics panels make it easy to reuse
Freestanding display racks for clothes
There’s a huge variety of clothing display racks, including garment gondolas, mannequins and wall features with rails.
Freestanding display fixtures are perfect for smaller items of clothing, like socks, belts or accessories, as shown in this example by KSF Global for Farberware. Easily moveable around your store, these racks allow you to boost upsells in high-traffic areas.
Display racks for large products
Large, heavy items can be difficult to display. They need a durable display fixture and ample room to avoid looking cramped.
This is what KSF Global built for Hozelock. The multifunctional backboard is strong and versatile, allowing the shelves to be repositioned, and the open shelving means products can be viewed in their entirety without being overcrowded.
Retail counters
Your retail counter is the centrepiece of your store, so it should be eye-catching and on-brand. It’s also a great place to boost last-minute purchases and encourage interaction between staff and customers. Shelving can be added to your retail counter to showcase new products, encourage upsells, or even highlight a rebrand, as shown in this example by KSF for Kenneth Cole. Retail counters can also be customized with:- Drop compartments that boost upsells
- Mirrors to make your space feel brighter
- Countertop POP displays
- A memorable statement piece
Statement counter display
You want to attract customers to your checkout counter, so make a statement that is on-brand and memorable.
For Maryling’s retail counter, KSF Global included a mannequin in the design. This not only stands out, but it’s also another opportunity to showcase merchandise at point-of-sale.
Countertops with drop compartments
Drop compartments are a great way to optimize your countertop displays. In this example by KSF Global for TK Maxx, the drop compartments:
- Promote last-minute purchases
- Feature shelving to display more products
- Separate each checkout so every customer can see them
- Don’t take up any counter space
Countertop displays
Your checkout desk is the perfect place for a countertop display. It increases upsells, promotes hero products, and draws attention to special promotions.
KSF Global designed this countertop watch display for Barbour, complete with adjustable components and a photo frame structure for maximum versatility.
Retail shelving
Retail shelving allows you to showcase your merchandise in creative, versatile and space-saving ways. Types of retail shelving include:- Floating shelves, ideal for lighter or hero products
- Open shelving, for driving attention to core products
- Wall display systems, showcasing a big range of products
- Modular shelving, which can be easily reconfigured
- Gondola shelving units, for displaying products clearly
- Adding lights or mirrors
- Choosing a material that reflects your brand, like wood or glass
- Choosing a color scheme consistent with the rest of your store
Floating shelves
When fitting out Maryling’s new store, KSF Global knew floating shelves had to make an appearance. These display fixtures are:
- Chic and subtle, minimizing visual clutter
- Ideal for displaying hero products by highlighting their details
- Dynamic and visually interesting
Open retail shelving
Open shelving is ideal when you have a selection of core products that you want to display separately. They also make items feel more exclusive, driving customer interest.
As shown in this example by KSF Global for Mulberry, the spacious wall shelving allows every item to breathe so that customers can appreciate their details.
On-brand wall shelving
When working on the shop fit-out of multiple Superdry stores, KSF Global had
